The present invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly, to a system for mixing dry ingredients with liquids prior to their being dispensed by the vending machine.
Vending machines which mix predetermined amounts of dry ingredients and liquids have been known for some time. They are generally provided with some device for mixing the dry ingredients with the liquids in their premeasured forms. The resultant mixture is then dispensed from the mixing device to the cup station where it is dispensed into a cup where it can be removed by a customer. Many such vending machines dispense hot liquids such as coffee and tea, mixed with a variety of ingredients such as sugar and cream. Since the liquid with which the dry ingredients are mixed in such machines is generally heated to the boiling point and thus produces steam during the mixing process, the inside of the machines are often exposed to high humidity as the steam escapes from the mixing devices. Many attempts have been made to overcome this problem, however, most have been unsatisfactory in that they do not actually remove most of the steam and/or are of generally a complicated and expensive nature.
Another common problem with such vending machines is that in the mixing device if the dry ingredients and liquid are not introduced precisely at the right time, the outlet spouts of the mixing devices can become clogged. This results in the liquid and/or the mixture overflowing the mixing device on subsequent attempts to use by a customer which contaminates the inside of the entire vending machine, thus producing an unsanitary and difficult to clean problem.